How Much Does It Cost To Install An Electric Car Charger?

With the costs of fuelling our cars only heading the wrong way, it’s no wonder more of us are looking at electric cars. Throwing out zero emissions, electric vehicles are sustainable too, which is another attraction. Are you thinking of getting an electric vehicle (EV)? If so, here’s a short guide to the costs of getting an electric car charging point installed, so you can keep your new pride and joy fully charged and ready to go.

How much does it cost to install an electric car charger?

Surprise, surprise, there are a few factors that will affect any car charging point installation cost. And any EV charger installation cost will also depend on whether you want to get a home charging point or a commercial electric vehicle charging station on a business premises.

Can I get any help to cover the cost of installing an electric car charger?

Yes, potentially you can. The Government’s EV Chargepoint Grant scheme will fund either £350 or up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle smart charger points at certain homes across the UK. (This new grant replaced the old Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) on 1 April 2022).

SMEs with company cars or fleets and at least 5 clearly-marked, off-street parking spaces aren’t left out either. You can apply for Government grants towards any commercial EV charger installation cost via the EV Infrastructure Grant. This covers up to £15,000 or 75% of the build and installation costs.

Your business can also apply to the Government's Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). This provides support for up to 40 EV charge points at £350 per socket. Your charge point installer has to claim the vouchers on your behalf though.

Or, when you win the lottery, you could just buy a new house or office instead. Not as mad as it sounds, because now all new homes, supermarkets and office buildings in England have to have electric car charging points fitted as standard.

How much does it cost for an electric car charger at home?

Installing an electric vehicle charge point is fairly straightforward (famous last words) provided you get the job done professionally. If, like the majority of us, you don’t know any EV charger experts personally, head to Google to search “EV charger installation near me.” Another option is to talk to your energy provider or car dealer who can probably help too.

EV charger installation requirements start with a home survey, which is usually a no-cost service. Your installer needs to check if your home’s electricity supply has enough capacity to charge an electric vehicle. If not, this may require upgrading or extending your circuit to handle the extra load - or a shiny new fuse box at the very least.

The charger needs to go on the wall next to where you park, and as close as possible to the main electrical supply. Ideally you want no more than 1.5 metres (5 ft) between car and charger. You don’t want to be paying for more hole drilling and filling than you have to, but you will need an earthing rod for your home charger installed too, for Health and Safety reasons.

You’ve probably already searched, “EV charger installation cost UK,” but as a rough guide, you’re looking at around £1,000 (including VAT). That’s the average cost of installing an EV charger at home, assuming no major electrical or building works are needed, and depending on what type of charger you’re installing as well. 

What type of charger do I need?

Here’s where it gets slightly confusing (!) as there are several different types of electric car plugs available. However, the one you’re most likely to encounter here in the UK is the Type 2, also referred to as Mennekes in deference to its German designer. One of the few useful bits of recent EU legislation means most public charging points on the continent have a Type 2 plug. Extremely handy if you’re planning a European road trip for your next summer holiday.

Although as yet there’s no universal connector for electric vehicles and different chargers, Type 2 chargers are compatible with both slow and faster power ratings. 22kW is the fastest home charger, but unfortunately doesn't work in most UK homes due to our electricity supplies. So, your best option is a 7kW charger, which although slightly more expensive to install than a 3kW one, will still charge your car in half the time. 

What’s the deal with smart chargers?

If you go for a smart charger, you can programme it to come on overnight, when electricity costs less due to lower demand on the grid. The UK Government is looking at introducing new regulations (yawn) to ensure all future EV charge points sold or installed have a smart charging functionality too. So, it’s worth considering now, especially as only smart chargers qualify for that EV Chargepoint Grant towards the installation of a home charge point.

How much do commercial electric vehicle charging stations cost?

Are you responsible for managing fleets of EV vehicles, or a simply a wonderfully philanthropic employer? Either way, here’s the deal on a typical EV charging point installation cost. According to the RAC, electric vehicle charging stations for businesses usually cost around £1,000 to £1,500 + VAT per charge point. Assuming no massive additional building works are required. 

For example, fixing charger units and cables on the side of your office will be much cheaper than installing new concrete pillars and underground cabling. Although if you want to install a lot of electric vehicle charge points then you’ll probably need to upgrade the electrical supply. There’s nothing worse than having your important overseas Zoom call crash because Zoe has plugged in her little Renault…
 

What are the benefits of installing an electric vehicle (EV) charger?

Are there any benefits, apart from basking in the knowledge that you’re doing your bit for our planet? Well, yes, there are. Quite apart from fuel cost savings, electric vehicles are cheaper to run because there’s no engine to maintain and service. Some insurance companies also look favourably on EVs, so definitely do your research when shopping around for better premiums at renewal time. 

Then there’s the convenience of charging your electric vehicle at home. Stick it on charge when you get back from work, and you’ll wake up to a fully charged car in the morning. Zap Map has a handy home charging calculator to help you work out your savings.Or plug it in to your work charge point at the start of your shift and come back to a topped-up battery to cruise home with ease.

Have you got an electric car charging point? Fancy making some money from it?

With the increasing popularity of electric cars, more and more people are also looking for parking spaces with electric car charging points. So, if you’ve got a spare parking space with a charging point, how would you like to make some money by renting it out with Stashbee? 

Or, if you’re already one of our Hosts, why not think about installing an electric car charging point to upgrade your parking space? It’s entirely possible your upfront costs will end up paying for themselves within a super short space of time - which is a pretty cool ROI, don’t you think?